[Amended 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 968]
A. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
ANIMAL
Any domestic animal or fowl, any wild animal or any household
pet.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
Any animal as hereinafter defined as a household pet or a
small animal.
HOUSEHOLD PET
Any dog, cat or other domestic animal normally and ordinarily
kept in or permitted to be at large in the dwelling of its owner.
LARGE ANIMAL
Any animal of the bovine, equine, sheep, goat, porcine (pigs)
and poultry families.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation.
SMALL ANIMAL
Any domestic animal such as a rabbit, hare, guinea pig, rat,
mouse or chinchilla.
WILD ANIMAL
Any animal, including bird, fowl or reptile, not normally
or ordinarily domesticated, not normally or ordinarily raised in this
area and climate as livestock or for work or breeding purposes, or
not capable of being kept as a household pet.
B. In this article, the singular shall include the plural, the plural
shall include the singular, and the masculine shall include the feminine.
[Amended 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 968]
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any wild or large
animal at any place within the Borough of Wilmerding except where
the same shall be permitted under Chapter
300, Zoning, in a park,
zoological garden or similar establishment for exhibit to the public
or to any portion thereof.
[Amended 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 968]
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any domestic animals
except household pets, except as provided in this section:
A. Small animals shall be kept confined in quarters no part of which
shall be closer than 25 feet from the exterior limits of any dwelling
or of any property line.
B. The keeper of every such animal shall confine the same in an enclosure
sufficient to prevent such animal from running at large, and such
enclosure shall be of a size conducive to good sanitary practices,
and adequate and sanitary drainage facilities shall be provided.
C. Every keeper of any animal shall cause the litter and droppings therefrom
to be collected daily in a container or receptacle that, when closed,
shall be ratproof and flytight, and after every such collection shall
cause such container or receptacle to be kept close. At least twice
a week every such keeper shall cause all litter and droppings so collected
to be disposed of in such manner as not to permit the presence of
fly larvae.
D. Every keeper of any animal shall cause all feed provided therefor
to be stored and kept in a ratproof and flytight building, box, container
or receptacle.
E. All animals which are capable of contracting rabies shall be vaccinated
against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the recommendations
for immunization published by the National Association of Public Health
Veterinarians which are incorporated herein by this reference thereto.
Any animal may be exempted from the vaccination requirement for a
specified period upon possession of the owner of a veterinarian's
certificate stating that, because of an infirmity or other physical
condition, the inoculation is not medically appropriate.
F. It shall be unlawful to keep any bees in the Borough.
G. The parent or guardian of any minor claiming ownership of any animal
shall be deemed the owner of such animal and shall be liable for any
penalties under this article, including Subsections
A,
B and
C and
shall be liable to third parties, as allowed by law, for any actions
of such animal.
[Amended 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 968]
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any household pet
except as provided in this section:
A. If any such pet shall be kept in a dwelling owned or occupied by
its owner, such owner shall be required to follow such procedures
and practices as to the number of such pets to be kept there and as
to sanitation to ensure that no public nuisance shall be created or
maintained and no threat to the health of persons living elsewhere
than in such dwelling shall be created.
B. If any such pet shall be kept in an enclosure outside such dwelling,
the provisions of §
116-3 of this article, insofar as the
same apply to small animals, shall be applicable to the keeping of
such household pet.
C. No residence shall contain at any one time more than two dogs, two
cats, or any combination thereof, or two of any other caged or uncaged
animals. This limit shall not include litters of young which have
not yet been weaned or which have been weaned for fewer than six weeks.
There shall be no limit on the number of fish which any residence
may maintain.
D. Any person lawfully owning more than the number of animals specified
in Subsection
C at the time of the effective date of this article
may retain the animals, provided he/she obtains a special permit from
the Chief of Police within 60 days from the effective date of this
article. A fee of $15 per household shall be paid to the Borough before
such permit will be issued. If for any reason any animal covered by
the permit is lost, sold, given away or dies, no replacement of that
animal shall be allowed if such a replacement would be in violation
of the limitations specified in Subsection
C. The special permit shall
only be issued when the following conditions are met:
(1) The animals in the owner's possession are not creating a nuisance.
(2) There is adequate waste disposal.
(3) There is no hazard to public safety, health and welfare.
E. The Borough shall have the right to conduct an inspection to determine
a property owner's compliance with this section.
Any violation of this article that would also violate any state
law shall be prosecuted under that state law and not under this article.
[Amended 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 968]
Any person or entity violating this article shall be subject
to a fine not exceeding $1,000 plus costs of prosecution or, in default
of payment thereof, shall undergo imprisonment for a period not exceeding
30 days. Each day a violation exists shall be considered a separate
offense.